Ripper assembly with direct load path

ABSTRACT

A work vehicle, such as a motor grader, comprises a frame, a ripper, a tie bar attached to the frame, and a four-bar linkage attached to and disposed between the ripper and the tie bar for transferring a load between the ripper and the frame via the four-bar linkage and the tie bar. The four-bar linkage and the tie bar are co-planar with respect to a plane within which the four-bar linkage is movable relative to the frame. A toolbar for the ripper is also disclosed.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to rippers for breaking up earthmaterial.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

A ripper may be attached to a work vehicle, such as a motor grader orother work vehicle, to break up earth material. The term “ripper” asused herein includes not only rippers but also scarifiers.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

According to the present disclosure, there is provided a work vehiclethat comprises a frame, a ripper, a tie bar attached to the frame, and afour-bar linkage. The four-bar linkage is attached to and disposedbetween the ripper and the tie bar for transferring a load between theripper and the frame via the four-bar linkage and the tie bar. Thefour-bar linkage and the tie bar are co-planar with respect to a planewithin which the four-bar linkage is movable relative to the frame. Thefour-bar linkage and the tie bar are thus in-line with one anotherdefining a direct (rather than offset) load path between the ripper andthe frame. Such load path management allows for a relativelylight-weight ripper assembly with concomitant cost reductions.

A toolbar for the ripper is also disclosed. The toolbar supports anumber of teeth adapted to break up earth material upon movement of theripper in a forward direction by the work vehicle, The toolbar comprisesa V-shaped leading edge defined by an underside surface and an inclinedsurface sloping upwardly and rearwardly from the underside surface at anacute angle thereto. It is believed that such a V-shaped leading edgewould urge earth material to flow over the toolbar instead of under it.If such earth material were to flow under the toolbar, the earthmaterial could be compacted, resulting in a drawbar load on the machineand limiting the depth of cut. However, it is believed that, by urgingthe earth material to flow over the toolbar, such compaction may beavoided, allowing a deeper cut.

The above and other features will become apparent from the followingdescription and the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description of the drawings refers to the accompanyingfigures in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a work vehicle in the form of, forexample, a motor grader with a ripper assembly attached to the rearthereof, the ripper assembly being movable between a raised, stowageposition shown in solid lines and a lowered, use position shown inphantom;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view showing the ripper assembly attachedto a frame of the work vehicle;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing that the ripper assembly includes aripper (to the left), a pair of tie rods (to the right), a pair offour-bar linkages interconnecting the ripper and the tie rods, and apair of hydraulic cylinders for moving the ripper between the stowageand use positions;

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing that each four-bar linkage is in-line withthe respective tie bar;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an alternative ripper assemblyemploying only one hydraulic cylinder;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the ripper assembly of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a side elevation view an embodiment of a ripper with a toolbarhaving a V-shaped leading edge for urging earth material to flow overthe toolbar rather than underneath.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a work vehicle 10 with a ripperassembly 12 attached thereto. Illustratively, the work vehicle 10 is amotor grader. However, it is to be understood that the ripper assembly12 may be attached to other types of work vehicles including, but notlimited to, crawlers and other mobile construction equipment. Furtherillustratively, the ripper assembly 12 is shown attached to a rear ofthe vehicle 10, but may be attached at other locations, including thefront or an intermediate location.

The ripper assembly 12 is configured for movement of a ripper 14 thereofbetween a raised, stowage position shown in solid lines in FIG. 1 and alowered, use position shown in phantom lines in FIG. 1. When in thelowered, use position, teeth 16 of the ripper 14 attached to a toolbar17 of the ripper 14 are designed to dig into earth material 18 of theground to break up the earth material 18 upon advancement of the vehicle10 in a forward direction 20. The resulting load on the ripper assembly12 is transmitted to a frame 22 of the vehicle 10.

Referring to FIGS. 2-4, the exemplary ripper assembly 12 comprises theripper 14 and two direct load paths 23 attached to and disposed betweenthe ripper 14 and the frame 22, the frame 22 being, for example, a motorgrader rear frame having an axle housing 30 interconnecting wheeltandems 32 on opposite sides of the motor grader. The load paths 23 arestructurally similar to one another such that the following descriptionof one of the load paths 23 applies to the other load path 23 as well.

Each load path 23 comprises a tie bar 24 and a four-bar linkage 26. Thefour-bar linkage 26 is attached to and disposed between the ripper 14and the tie bar 24 for transferring a load between the ripper 14 and theaxle housing 30 of the frame 22 via the four-bar linkage 26 and the tiebar 24. The four-bar linkage 26 and the tie bar 24 are co-planar withrespect to a plane 28 (FIG. 4) within which the four-bar linkage 26 ismovable relative to the frame 22. In a plan view of the ripper assembly12 (FIG. 4), the four-bar linkage 26 and the tie bar 24 are in-line,rather than offset, with one another, providing a load path 23 withenhanced load-management capability over offset load paths.

Each four-bar linkage 26 comprises a front ground bar 34 a, lower andupper grounded bars 34 b, 34 c, and a rear coupler bar 34 d. A firstpivot joint 36 a pivotally interconnects the tie bar 24, the ground bar34 a, and the lower grounded bar 36 b. A second pivot joint 36 bpivotally interconnects the ground bar 34 a and the upper grounded bar34 c. A third pivot joint 36 c pivotally interconnects the uppergrounded bar 34 c and the rear coupler bar 34 d. A fourth pivot joint 36d pivotally interconnects the coupler bar 34 d and the lower groundedbar 36 b. Each joint 36 a, 36 b, 36 c, 36 d has a pivot pin 38 forpivotable movement of the respective bars thereabout.

Referring to FIG. 4, considering the first pivot joint 36 a, a spacer 40is positioned on either side of the lower grounded bar 36 b, configured,for example, as a single link. Outside of each spacer 40 is an ear 42welded to a side of the tie-bar 24. Outside of each ear 42 is anotherspacer 44. The ground bar 34 a has, for example, two links 46. Outsideof each ear 42 is one of the links 46. The pivot pin 38 of the joint 36a extends through the bar 36 b, spacers 40, ears 42, spacers 44, andlinks 46.

Considering the second pivot joint 36 b, a spacer 48 is positioned oneither side of the upper grounded bar 36 c, configured, for example, asa single link. Outside of each spacer 48 is an ear 50 of a clevis 52having a plate 54 fixed to a member 56 of the frame 22. Outside of eachclevis ear 50 is another spacer 58. Outside of each spacer 58 is arespective link 46 of the ground bar 34 a. The pivot pin 38 of the joint36 b extends through the bar 36 c, the spacers 48, the clevis ears 50,the spacers 58, and the links 46.

Considering the third pivot joint 36 c, the coupler bar 34 d has, forexample, two links 62 fixed to the toolbar. A spacer 60 is positionedbetween the upper grounded bar 36 c and each link 62. The pivot pin 38of the joint 36 c extends through the bar 36 c, the spacers 60, and thelinks 62.

Considering the fourth pivot joint 36 d, a spacer 64 is positionedbetween the lower grounded bar 36 b and each link 62. The pivot pin 38of the joint 36 d extends through the bar 36 b, the spacers 64, and thelinks 62.

The four-bar linkages 26 are joined together. A lower cross bar 66 ainterconnects the lower grounded bars 34 b of the two linkages 26. Anupper cross bar 66 b interconnects the upper grounded bars 34 c of thetwo linkages 26. Further, a reinforcement plate 68 interconnects theground bars 34 a and their links 46.

The ripper 14 is moved between its raised, stowage position and lowered,use position by a pair of hydraulic cylinders 70. Each cylinder 70 isattached to the first and third pivots 36 a, 36 c of a respectivelinkage 26,

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, a ripper assembly 112 is similar instructure and function to the ripper assembly 14, except that the ripperassembly 112 has a single hydraulic cylinder 170. Exemplarily, thecylinder 170 is pivotally attached at one end to a tower structure 172and at an opposite end to the reinforcement plate 68. The enhancedload-management capability of the direct load paths 23 facilitateemployment of a single cylinder 170.

Referring to FIG. 7, a ripper assembly 212 includes a number of thecomponents described above, such components being identified by the samereference numbers. The ripper assembly 212 differs primarily in theshape of a toolbar 217 of a ripper 214 of the ripper assembly 212, thetoolbar 217 being the component to which the teeth 16 and the linkages26 are attached. In particular, the toolbar 217 comprises a V-shapedleading edge 218 defined by an underside surface 220 (e.g., horizontalunderside surface) and an inclined surface 222 sloping upwardly andrearwardly from the underside surface 220 at an acute angle 224 thereto.It is believed that such a V-shaped leading edge configuration wouldurge earth material to flow over the top of the toolbar 217 (asindicated by phantom arrow 226) as the vehicle 10 advances in theforward direction 20, allowing the teeth 16 to dig deeper into the earthmaterial. By way of example and not limitation, the acute angle 224 maybe between about 30° and about 60°.

While the disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in thedrawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description isto be considered as exemplary and not restrictive in character, it beingunderstood that illustrative embodiments have been shown and describedand that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit ofthe disclosure are desired to be protected. It will be noted thatalternative embodiments of the present disclosure may not include all ofthe features described yet still benefit from at least some of theadvantages of such features. Those of ordinary skill in the art mayreadily devise their own implementations that incorporate one or more ofthe features of the present disclosure and fall within the spirit andscope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

1-17. (canceled)
 18. A ripper for use with a work vehicle, comprising atoolbar supporting a number of teeth adapted to break up earth materialupon movement of the ripper in a forward direction by the work vehicle,the toolbar comprising a V-shaped leading edge defined by an undersidesurface and an inclined surface sloping upwardly and rearwardly from theunderside surface at an acute angle thereto.
 19. The ripper of claim 18,wherein the acute angle is between about 30° and about 60°.
 20. A motorgrader comprising a ripper assembly including the ripper of claim 18.21. A work vehicle comprising a ripper assembly including the ripper ofclaim
 18. 22. The work vehicle of claim 21, further comprising: a frame;a first tie bar attached to the frame; and a first four-bar linkageattached to and disposed between the ripper and the first tie bar fortransferring a first load between the ripper and the frame via the firstfour-bar linkage and the first tie bar, the first four-bar linkage andthe first tie bar being co-planar with respect to a first plane withinwhich the first four-bar linkage is movable relative to the frame. 23.The work vehicle of claim 22, wherein the first four-bar linkagecomprises a pivot joint to which the first tie bar is pivotallyattached.
 24. The work vehicle of claim 22, wherein the first four-barlinkage comprises a first bar, a second bar, and a pivot jointinterconnecting the first bar, the second bar, and the first tie bar.25. The work vehicle of claim 22, wherein the first four-bar linkagecomprises a ground bar, a grounded bar, and a pivot jointinterconnecting the ground bar, the grounded bar, and the first tie bar.26. The work vehicle of claim 22, further comprising: a second tie barattached to the frame; and a second four-bar linkage attached to anddisposed between the ripper and the second tie bar for transferring asecond load between the ripper and the frame via the second four-barlinkage and the second tie bar, the second four-bar linkage and thesecond tie bar being coplanar with respect to a second plane withinwhich the second four-bar linkage is movable relative to the frame. 27.The work vehicle of claim 26, wherein, in a plan view of the ripperassembly, the first and second four-bar linkages and the first andsecond tie bars are, respectively, in-line with one another.
 28. Thework vehicle of claim 26, wherein the first and second planes areparallel to a fore-aft axis of the work vehicle.
 29. The work vehicle ofclaim 26, wherein each of the first and second four-bar linkagescomprises a pivot joint, the first tie bar being pivotally attached tothe pivot joint of the first four-bar linkage, and the second tie barbeing pivotally attached to the pivot joint of the second four-barlinkage.
 30. The work vehicle of claim 26, wherein each of the first andsecond four-bar linkages comprises a first bar, a second bar, and apivot joint, the pivot joint of the first four-bar linkageinterconnecting the first bar of the first four-bar linkage, the secondbar of the first four-bar linkage, and the first tie bar, and the pivotjoint of the second four-bar linkage interconnecting the first bar ofthe second four-bar linkage, the second bar of the second four-barlinkage, and the second tie bar.
 31. The work vehicle of claim 26,wherein each of the first and second four-bar linkages comprises aground bar, a grounded bar, and a pivot joint, the pivot joint of thefirst four-bar linkage interconnecting the ground bar of the firstfour-bar linkage, the grounded bar of the first four-bar linkage, andthe first tie bar, and the pivot joint of the second four-bar linkageinterconnecting the ground bar of the second four-bar linkage, thegrounded bar of the second four-bar linkage, and the second tie bar. 32.The work vehicle of claim 31, further comprising a first hydrauliccylinder attached to the pivot joint of the first four-bar linkage and asecond hydraulic cylinder attached to the pivot joint of the secondfour-bar linkage.
 33. The work vehicle of claim 22, further comprising ahydraulic cylinder for moving the ripper relative to the frame.